Nestle chief government Mark Schneider is leaving the Swiss meals group after eight years in cost and will probably be changed by Latin America boss Laurent Freixe, the corporate mentioned Thursday.
Schneider “has determined to relinquish his roles as CEO and member of the Board of Administrators”, Nestle mentioned in a press release, including that the transfer could be efficient from September 1.
“Main Nestle for the previous 8 years has been an honor for me. I’m grateful for what now we have achieved, having remodeled Nestle right into a future-proofed, modern and sustainable enterprise,” Schneider mentioned within the assertion.
Freixe, who joined Nestle in France in 1986, “efficiently managed” the corporate’s European zone in the course of the 2008 monetary disaster and till 2014, the assertion mentioned.
He was then named CEO of the Americas area earlier than taking up on the newly created Latin America zone in 2022, “the place he has been efficiently main by means of difficult circumstances”.
Nestle mentioned Freixe has been nominated as a candidate for the board of administrators at its 2025 annual common assembly.
Excellent match
Nestle, whose manufacturers vary from Nespresso espresso capsules to Purina pet food and Haagen-Dazs ice cream, lowered its gross sales development outlook for 2024 final month because it slowed its worth will increase within the first half of the 12 months.
The worldwide packaged-food big and its rivals had logged excessive gross sales development previously three years as they raised costs to make up for increased prices resulting from hovering inflation.
The corporate has additionally confronted controversy lately, with Swiss NGO Public Eye accusing Nestle of promoting child meals with excessive ranges of added sugar in low-income nations however not in wealthier nations.
Nestle has countered that it had “no double commonplace” and utilized the identical diet and well being rules in all places.
It has additionally scrambled to ease any considerations over its Perrier model after France’s meals security watchdog really useful stricter monitoring of websites the place Nestle extracts mineral water following the invention of traces of “faecal” contamination.
The corporate has since mentioned it has stepped up monitoring of the websites, and Schneider has mentioned the group’s water was protected to drink.
Freixe acknowledged that “there’ll at all times be challenges” however expressed confidence in Nestle’s capability to “lead and win in all places we function”.
Nestle mentioned Thursday that Schneider “has actively formed the corporate’s portfolio, according to Nestle’s technique and with a deal with high-growth classes like espresso, pet care and dietary well being merchandise”.
Nestle chairman Paul Bulcke praised Freixe as “a proficient chief with strategic acumen, in depth in-market expertise and experience in addition to a deep understanding of markets and customers”.
“Laurent is the right match for Nestle at the moment,” Bulcke added.